Consider this scenario

Someone needs something from you. Although you want something in return, they have nothing that you want. What you want from them is not unreasonable in any way, nor is it illegal. They just don't have it to give.

Do you feel concern for this person? Do you try to help them despite knowing you will receive nothing you want in return?

If you unconditionally wish to give something to them, then you should. If they have nothing to give you, that's fine. Pay it forward. You will get what you want from someone else. Sometimes not all transactions are meant to be equal. There is no equal give and take. I find it better to give unconditionally instead of expecting anything back. I do want to take, but if they don't want to give that's fine. Anything taken without consent is not worth having for me. I will take from someone who gives something to me unconditionally. Give and take without conditions I think frees you from the imprisonment of a vicious cycle of debt. When I take from someone who wants something back from me, and I have nothing to give. The worth of what I have taken is too high. I can't afford it in a sense. I can't repay them, so I feel in debt and imprisoned by the transaction. But when I am given with so much abundance and unconditional freedom, I feel gratitude and freedom to utilize it. Knowing this feeling, I try to give without conditions.

If I wouldn't need it as much as (or even more) than they do, yes. For instance, if there was a famine I wouldn't give anyone my food, except for my friends and family members if they don't have anymore left. But if I had a spare part of a car I don't own (anymore), I wouldn't mind giving it to someone who needs it, even without something in return.

„Man can do what he wants but he cannot want what he wants.“
– Arthur Schopenhauer

Someone needs something from you. Although you want something in return, they have nothing that you want. What you want from them is not unreasonable in any way, nor is it illegal. They just don't have it to give.

Do you feel concern for this person? Do you try to help them despite knowing you will receive nothing you want in return?

If what the person needs is something I don't particularly need, then I will offer it to them.
If it is something I need, but could do without, I'd consider a trade.
If it is something I need, and cannot do without, I will not consider a trade.

Asking something from them, knowing that they do not have it or cannot access it, or puts them in an ethical quandry, is cruel, imo.

I have often received things from people in my times of need. Without recompense.
I have often given things to people in their times of need. Without recompense.
I do believe in the value of pay-it-forward, both in myself, and in my faith in the other person.

This is not to say that I will stand by while being taken advantage of.

If I had a monopoly on the thing one wants from me, I'd gain power by giving it to the requester. I even want to keep some people in debt to me so that they will feel themselves to be in no position in my eyes.

“I tell you, freedom and human rights in America are doomed. The U.S. government will lead the American people in — and the West in general — into an unbearable hell and a choking life. - Osama bin Laden

If I had a monopoly on the thing one wants from me, I'd gain power by giving it to the requester. I even want to keep some people in debt to me so that they will feel themselves to be in no position in my eyes.

That's interesting. Your reasoning is in part fallacious, because I feel that I am owed everything I am needed, and would not feel indebted towards someone who gave me something I needed. (notice I said "need", not "want"). It would, in fact, make me angry that I have to go through you to get it (not necessarily towards you, but towards what I believed to be the ultimate human cause of the situation). There are a few people who would feel as you want them to feel, but I suspect it's a very small minority.

Now my answer to the question. Yes I would. I have in the past, and would again. People are entitled to what they need. Maintaining this belief gives people reason to provide me what I need. The less this maxim is questioned, the more secure we all are. Most of us feel emotional reward for providing others what they need, enough that logical rationalizations don't even play into it. For those who do not feel such rewards, there is the argument.

That's interesting. Your reasoning is in part fallacious, because I feel that I am owed everything I am needed, and would not feel indebted towards someone who gave me something I needed. (notice I said "need", not "want"). It would, in fact, make me angry that I have to go through you to get it (not necessarily towards you, but towards what I believed to be the ultimate human cause of the situation). There are a few people who would feel as you want them to feel, but I suspect it's a very small minority.

If there is no power gained, then I shouldn't help you. Unless I want to feel good about myself like I often do. Imagine if you would live in my apartment instead of being homeless.. I'd totally have power over you and you wouldn't want to make me disappointed. I could ask you to do my dishes or the like. If I'm the only one in town with crack, all the real addicts will suck my cock for it. But I guess sexual satisfaction and the ability to do chores are things that I want and many can give.

“I tell you, freedom and human rights in America are doomed. The U.S. government will lead the American people in — and the West in general — into an unbearable hell and a choking life. - Osama bin Laden

Well they may not ask for that because it impacts their self-esteem. Besides, privacy is something YOU need. Ultimately apartment sharing may impact you emotionally. So it may be unfair of them to ask that of you, because emotional health is a need, not a want. What is being discussed is the opportunity for wants, not needs. But what they really need is an opportunity to make money for themselves. They need a job that they are content with. For you to hold power over them without helping them meet the need that required them to need from you, is unethical because it means you are not being responsive to their emotional state.

The situation you are proposing is indeed uncomfortable because it raises a lot of questions that threaten one's self-image and trouble the conscience (creating a distraction), and as such it behooves society to create conditions under which the situation does not arise.

My interpretation of your motivation, Aquagraph, is that you want to create conditions that compel people to do things you don't want to do whether or not they want to do them. In socionics terms, you want to have other people handling your weaker EM elements, and are willing to agree to penalties for it not happening. However there is the problem of ascribing the penalties, a bearance you are willing to equate with destitution.

If you unconditionally wish to give something to them, then you should. If they have nothing to give you, that's fine. Pay it forward. You will get what you want from someone else. Sometimes not all transactions are meant to be equal. There is no equal give and take. I find it better to give unconditionally instead of expecting anything back. I do want to take, but if they don't want to give that's fine. Anything taken without consent is not worth having for me. I will take from someone who gives something to me unconditionally. Give and take without conditions I think frees you from the imprisonment of a vicious cycle of debt. When I take from someone who wants something back from me, and I have nothing to give. The worth of what I have taken is too high. I can't afford it in a sense. I can't repay them, so I feel in debt and imprisoned by the transaction. But when I am given with so much abundance and unconditional freedom, I feel gratitude and freedom to utilize it. Knowing this feeling, I try to give without conditions.

This is awesome mindset. I was going to write something like this, but you already did, so I'll just re-quote it haha.

If anything I'll add, I'm willing to give first, in order to get something in return later. Pay it forward. However, I'll periodically assess how much effort I'm putting in, compared to what the other person is getting. If I'm going 90%, and they're going 10% of the way, I'll back up to 50%. As the saying goes, "I'll drive to the end of the world for you, but only if you're in the car with me". Gotta make sure the other person gives their fair share, when they can and are able.

If its possible and doesn't come into conflict with something im trying to do, i'd help them anyways, doesn't matter to me. People are saying it depends on the person and what not, but that doesn't matter to me either. As long as im in a good mood, i'll go to hell and back doing favors for strangers as long as they know how to ask me properly.

I mean most times I will be expecting something in return, but if they can't its no problem. I get most of my satisfaction from the meer gesture of helping them out and putting a smile on their face, or any other sign of appreciation.

If its possible and doesn't come into conflict with something im trying to do, i'd help them anyways, doesn't matter to me. People are saying it depends on the person and what not, but that doesn't matter to me either. As long as im in a good mood, i'll go to hell and back doing favors for strangers as long as they know how to ask me properly.

I'm the same way, actually. It really depends on my impression of the person though, whether or not I like them just instinctively, or can sympathize with their scenario, see them as deserving, etc.

I mean most times I will be expecting something in return, but if they can't its no problem. I get most of my satisfaction from the meer gesture of helping them out and putting a smile on their face, or any other sign of appreciation.

Amen.

But, for a certainty, back then,
We loved so many, yet hated so much,
We hurt others and were hurt ourselves...

Yet even then, we ran like the wind,
Whilst our laughter echoed,
Under cerulean skies...

It depends a number of things: what exactly do they want, do they need it, do I need it now, will I need it later, can I afford to give it away, will they put it to use, do I really want to commit to this etc. All these sorts of contingencies go through my head which have some weight in my consideration of helping someone out, but the most definite thing that compels me to act is when I clearly see that someone needs something.

If someone needed something from me on the spot that person is more likely to receive it if I have it on me and am not currently using it. In terms of my direct assistance, as a human resource, the same goes if I'm not currently doing anything important.

I don't usually ask for or expect anything in return because I don't always have a clear idea of what I want. I wouldn't turn down some kind of appreciation though.

What I would take to heart the most is if someone intentionally didn't use what I gave them or generally disregarded it. Waste of my time and effort.

(i)NTFS

An ILI at rest tends to remain at rest
and an ILI in motion is probably not an ILI

Well now I seem to grasp more about the nature of the question and the contextual meaning of your terms used here.

Not saying I wouldn't act like that you described me to, but I'm also a closet altruist. There are few I'd take a bullet for.

“I tell you, freedom and human rights in America are doomed. The U.S. government will lead the American people in — and the West in general — into an unbearable hell and a choking life. - Osama bin Laden

Someone needs something from you. Although you want something in return, they have nothing that you want. What you want from them is not unreasonable in any way, nor is it illegal. They just don't have it to give.

Do you feel concern for this person? Do you try to help them despite knowing you will receive nothing you want in return?

It all very much depends on the person involved and the thing required. As an IT professional, I'm frequently asked about computer problems. But I only help out people in my inner circle (family, close friends) with that. Part of it is altruism (the joy of helping out other people), but also the idea that although they can't return what I want now, I will be able to call upon them to do me a favor someday. Also, in a network of people who reciproke what they get, I might not get something from the specific person, but I might get something from someone else. You should really consider reciprocity more in terms of social networks than in one on one relationships.

Now with people I do not have affectionate relationships with, I simply refuse to help them. This is something I had to learn the hard way: there are many people who only contact you when they need something from you, but never to invite you over for a beer. So my rule is: if there is a significant affectionate relationship, I'll do what I can, within reasonable bounds. If not, I'll send you an invoice.

Of course theres context to consider like what I think of the person and what they want. but I wouldn't refuse to help for the sole reason I wouldn't get what I wanted in return. that seems robotic and silly.

Someone needs something from you. Although you want something in return, they have nothing that you want. What you want from them is not unreasonable in any way, nor is it illegal. They just don't have it to give.

Do you feel concern for this person? Do you try to help them despite knowing you will receive nothing you want in return?

Someone needs something from you. Although you want something in return, they have nothing that you want. What you want from them is not unreasonable in any way, nor is it illegal. They just don't have it to give.

Do you feel concern for this person? Do you try to help them despite knowing you will receive nothing you want in return?

There are several times I've helped people who've expressed regret at being unable to recompense me for my trouble and I've simply brushed it off with "Buy me a beer sometime." Ask me directly and I'm usually easy. Try to manipulate me and I'll laugh in your face.

If someone needs my help and it's not much trouble, I help them. If someone needs my help and it's a lot of trouble, but they have something to give me that makes it worth my while, I help them. If it's family, I help them.

Also, if you have food, I will help you.

Moonlight will fall
Winter will end
Harvest will come
Your heart will mend